Topical Tidbits July– September 2019 Volume 8 Issue 3 Working Dogs Most people think of dogs as just pets, but there are certain breeds that make excellent workers. Since the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, dogs have been protecting their owners and warning cities of advancing enemies. By the 20th century, dogs were being used by armies during war and peace. In the beginning they were mostly used as scouts and couriers, but now they are used for a greater range of tasks such as sniffing out weapons and mines. Many are used in Iraq and Afghanistan to search caves and bunkers for the enemy. Dogs can even be trained to find hidden cell phones which are sometimes used for remotely detonating bombs. Because of their superior intelligence, working dogs can also be taught to help people with physical and mental disabilities. They can bring medicine to their owner or they can help calm someone having a panic attack. They can even be taught to answer the door! Learn more about these amazing dogs in this issue. If you are interested in learning more, check out the American Kennel Club’s website. It’s where a lot of information for this issue was taken. If you’re interested in learning more about Sgt. Stubby, the World War I dog hero, check your local library. Several books have been written about him and just recently an animated movie came out. Be sure to check it out- he was an amazing working dog! Also, be on the

lookout for the new Military Dog stamps at a post office near you. © The Perforated Press Perforated The © Military Dogs • Dogs have been used in war since ancient times. They’ve been in combat with U.S. soldiers during every major conflict, but weren’t officially recognized until World War II, however. • They are trained to detect bombs, weapons, and drugs. They are also used for tracking and attacking the enemy. • There are about 2,500 dogs in active service today. About 700 are deployed overseas. • Many branches of the service use Labrador Retrievers or German Shepherds. The U.S. Navy SEALS use Belgian Malinois, a breed similar to German Shepherds, but smaller. Their small size makes them ideal for

parachuting missions with their handlers. © The Perforated Press Perforated The © Famous Military Dogs These covers honor military dogs that served in World War I. Billy Billy the dog was a hospital pet at the St. John Ambulance Brigade Hospital at Étaples, France. He is pictured on the stamp with nurses awaiting a visit from Queen Mary in July 1917.

Sable Chief During World War I, Sable Chief marched with the Royal Newfoundland Regimental Band and visited wounded troops, lifting their spirits. The photo on the cover shows him with his handler. Sgt. Stubby Sergeant Stubby, the most decorated war dog of all time, served in 4 offenses and 17 battles with the 102nd Infantry. He warned his sergeant, who was asleep, of a gas attack which saved many lives. He also held a German spy by the seat of his pants until he was secured by

© The Perforated Press American troops. Famous Military Dogs These covers honor military dogs that served in World War II. Chips The most decorated war dog in the second world war, Chips served with the 3rd Infantry Division in North Africa, Sicily, France, and Germany. During the invasion of Sicily, he attacked German gunmen causing them to surrender to American troops. Blackout Blackout, a U.S. Coast Guard dog, went ashore for three amphibious assaults on the beaches of Sicily, Italy, and Normandy. He received three battle stars on his service ribbon. He is pictured wearing a custom-made life jacket. Sgt. Gander Sergeant Gander was a Newfoundland in the Royal Rifles of Canada Regiment. He repelled advancing Japanese soldiers as they invaded Hong Kong in December 1941. He grabbed a grenade in his mouth and carried it away from the wounded Canadians. Gander bravely took it back to enemy lines where it exploded

and he died. © The Perforated Press Police Dogs • Police dogs are also known as K-9, a homophone of the word canine. • Popular breed choices are: Belgian Malinois, German Shepherd, Bloodhound, Dutch Shepherd, and Labrador Retriever. These dogs all have an incredible working ability and cooperate with their handler. • Some are trained for one purpose only, while others have multiple purposes. • Some dogs are trained to bite dangerous suspects and hold them hostage. • Because dogs have 225 million scent receptors in their noses (humans only have 5 million), they are good at sniffing out illegal drugs and other prohibited substances. • Others are taught to detect various drugs, explosives, and crime scene evidence. Some of these dogs can be found at a country’s border or in an airport. • In many countries, it is a criminal offense to intentionally injure

or kill a police dog. © The Perforated Press Perforated The © Search and Rescue Dogs • Search and rescue dogs can be broken into two categories: air-scenting dogs and trailing dogs. Air-scenting dogs usually work without a leash and use airborne human scent, while trailing dogs are typically on a leash and use their noses to follow ground smells. • Depending on air conditions, a well- trained air-scenting dog can detect scents from a distance of up to a quarter mile or more. • Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Belgian Malinois, German Shepherds, and Border Collies are typically chosen to be trained in this area because they are good hunters and herders. • Avalanche dogs, often St. Bernards, can be trained specifically to find humans that are trapped under snow. The best of these dogs can smell people that are under 15 feet of snow. • According to experts, a search and rescue dog can accomplish the work of 20 to 30 human searchers.

© The Perforated Press Sled Dogs • There’s evidence that the Thule people of Canada were using dogs to pull sleighs around A.D. 1000. However, it’s believed that domesticated working dogs existed in North America as far back as 15,000 years ago. For the northern native cultures, using dogs for transportation of people and goods was a part of daily life. • Most sled dogs are either Alaskan Malamute, Alaskan Huskies, Siberian Husky, Chinook, or Samoyed. These breeds are known for their endurance, speed, and hardiness. • Each sled dog team has a lead dog, or in some cases two lead dogs. These dogs are fast and intelligent, and must be able to set the pace and direct the team effectively. • Dog sled travel was very popular from the 1880s to the 1920s during the Alaskan Gold Rush. The 1,000-plus mile Iditarod Trail ran from Seward to Nome. This route is now the setting for the Iditarod Trail Dog Sled Race which first started in 1973. The cover • A sled dog named Balto helped save the below shows Rear Admiral town of Nome, Alaska, from a deadly Richard Byrd diphtheria outbreak in 1925 by delivering and his dog, a batch of serum that was nearly 700 miles Igloo, who accompanied away in the city of Anchorage. him on his • Dog sleds have been used by explorers Antarctic

expedition. on expeditions in the Arctic and Antarctic. © The Perforated The ©Perforated Press Herding Dogs • Herding dogs have an instinctual ability to control the movement of other animals. These breeds were developed to gather, herd, and protect livestock such as cattle and sheep. • Popular breeds used for herding are Australian Cattle Dogs, Australian Shepherds, Collies, Belgian Sheep Dog, German Shepherds, and Border Collies. • These dogs help sheep and cattle farmers by rounding up the animals by using frantic running, eye contact, and aggressive barking. • Cattle dogs are used to drive livestock forward and keep them on the move. They do this by nipping or biting at the heels of the animals they are herding. • Sheep dogs are used to round up livestock and move them towards their human partner. • The herding instinct in these breeds is so strong that these dogs have even been known to

round up the children of the family! © The Perforated Press Perforated © The Space Dogs • During the 1950s and ’60s, the Soviet Union sent over 20 dogs into space. • The Soviets selected female dogs because they have better temperaments than males. Stray dogs were used because it was felt they would be able to tolerate the extreme stresses of space flight better than house dogs. • Laika became the first animal to go into orbit as part of the Sputnik-2 mission on November 3, 1957. • The next dogs to go into space were Belka and Strelka on August 19, 1960, as part of the Sputnik-5 mission. • The 20 plus dogs that took part in the Soviet space and cosmonaut training program are seen as heroes in Russia. They have been honored on stamps and statues. • Their sacrifices helped to advance safety procedures and abort procedures that would be used for many decades to come

in human spaceflight. © The Perforated The ©Perforated Press Service Dogs • A service dog helps a person with a disability lead a more independent life by doing work or performing tasks for them. • There are three types of service or assistance dogs: 1. Guide dogs help blind and visually impaired individuals navigate the environment. 2. Hearing dogs help alert deaf and hard-of- hearing individuals to important sounds. 3. Service dogs assist individuals with a disability such as needing a wheelchair, having balance issues, having autism, needing seizure alert or response, needing to be alerted to other medical issues like low blood sugar, or having psychiatric disabilities. • The most common breeds for service dogs are Labrador Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers. • Service dogs sometimes wear a vest identifying them

as a service dog. These dogs should not be petted. © The Perforated Press Perforated The © Therapy Dogs • Therapy dogs bring comfort to hospital patients, nursing home residents, and anyone else in need of cheering up. Unlike service dogs, which are only for one person, these dogs are for anyone. • Therapy dogs should be friendly and outgoing, yet calm and obedient, and socialized to a variety of people, places, and things. • Therapy dogs and their owners provide opportunities for petting and affection in a variety of settings on a volunteer basis. • Breeds with sweet, gentle natures make good therapy dogs. These include Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, French Bulldogs, Beagles, and Poodles, along with many others. • Use of therapy dogs dates back to WWII. Therapy dogs regularly visited recovering soldiers, boosting their mood and optimism. • Petting a dog can lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and seizure, by soothing

people and lowering their stress and anxiety levels. © The Perforated Press Perforated The © Working Dog- Did you Know?!

Did you know that this stamp Did you know that this migratory bird honors some very hard working hunting stamp shows the only dog dogs? Macquarie Island lies ever pictured on a federal duck stamp? in the southwest Pacific Ocean, In 1959, officials with the Federal Duck about halfway between New Stamp Competition were encouraging Zealand and Antarctica. artists to enter designs featuring For seven years these dogs a retrieving dog. They felt this would worked tirelessly to rid the emphasize the dog’s role in retrieving island of the invasive species wounded or dead ducks that would of rabbits and rodents that otherwise be lost. Maynard Reece, a were destroying it. Rabbits first famous wildlife artist, decided to do a came to the island with sealers watercolor painting of King Buck, the in the early 1800s as a source most famous retriever at that time. As of food. By the 1980s their a National Duck Retriever champion, numbers had exploded and King Buck completed an unprecedented they were destroying the island. 63 series in the National Championship By eating the vegetation they Stake, and in 1952 and 1953, he was the were threatening other native National Retriever Field Trial Club species. For example, a whole champ. This string of successes was not colony of penguins was wiped to be duplicated by any other dog for out because of a landslide nearly forty years. This made him the caused by a lack of vegetation. perfect model for a duck stamp. His Thanks to the hardworking trainer, Cotton Pershall said, “He wasn’t dogs, the island is now free a big dog as Labs go, but he had great of rabbits and rodents and the style. Always quiet and well-behaved, native plants and animals can not excitable nor flashy. He just went once again thrive. steadily ahead with his job, series after series, whether on land or water.” Working Dog Mix-Up Oh, no! Simeon was sorting his working dog stamps by breed when a breeze blew in through the window and mixed them all up. Can you help him put them in the right

glassine envelope? Draw lines from the stamp to the correct envelope. © The Perforated Press Perforated © The Golden German Saint Retriever Shepherd Bernard Working Dogs Word Search Beagle Belgian Malinois Bloodhound See if you can Border Collie “sniff” out the Canine words on the left Chinook French Bulldog in the puzzle German Shepherd below. Herding Husky Labrador Retriever Malamute Military Police Poodle Rescue Samoyed Search Service Sled Space St. Bernard

Therapy © The Perforated Press Perforated The © Working Dogs

ATA Topical Tidbits, www.americantopicalassn.org/youth